Ifc 4.3 Interoperability Verification For Bridge Models Incorporating Ground-Penetrating Radar Data

This study investigates the interoperability of the IFC 4.3 schema for digital bridge models integrated with subsurface inspection data obtained with Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR). The research digitally documents a reinforced concrete pedestrian bridge in Pontevedra, Spain, using Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and multichannel GPR. Through the Scan-to-BIM process, parametric structural elements were modeled, along with a three-dimensional volumetric representation of a subsurface defect in the deck slab. The structural model and the defect ob-tained from GPR data were exported as independent IFC 4.3 files, preserving in-frastructure classification, semantic hierarchy, and georeferencing to enable feder-ation in openBIM environments. Spatial consistency was verified by overlaying the models with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data from the Spanish National Plan for Aerial Orthophotography (PNOA), confirming the integrity of the coordinate system throughout the Scan-to-BIM-to-IFC workflow. The in-teroperability of IFC 4.3 was evaluated across different BIM/AEC environments, considering geometric preservation, semantic properties, hierarchical structure, and geospatial accuracy. The results demonstrate high compatibility of the IFC 4.3 standard, enabling consistent integration of structural models and subsurface data. Independent IFC files allow for temporal registration of GPR anomalies, supporting comparative analyses of damage evolution. This study provides em-pirical evidence of the feasibility of IFC 4.3 for integrating non-destructive in-spection data into openBIM models, contributing to digital management and deci-sion-making in bridge operation and maintenance.